According to legend, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, six more weeks of winter weather will follow. If he doesn't, expect an early spring. But PETA has had enough of the tradition that dates back to 1886, and believes robotic technology could be the solution.
"If Punxsutawney frees Phil, then the bitter winter that's made him into an unwilling media attraction will end, making way for a sunny spring that everyone can enjoy," PETA writes in a post on its PETA Files blog.
In a letter written to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club and posted on PETA's Web site, animal specialist Gemma Vaughan notes that groundhogs are normally shy animals that "become stressed" when exposed to too much hubbub.
"Tradition is no excuse for cruelty, and this opportunity would allow Punxsutawney to engage in a futuristic, interactive, versatile, and humane annual event," she writes.
Come on PETA is this all you have to do?
Why do you and all of your liberal buddies hate fun, economic stimulus, laughter, dancing, crafts, and a few beers?
Let's see, it's in the dead of winter, people have been coupe up for a month since Christmas. Snow is on the ground, they want to get together and have a little mid-winter fun: attending a craft show, a dance, an ice carving, a picnic, a concert, an art show, a scavenger hunt, a breakfast, and a beer party.
This has been celebrated long before the USA was a nation. This dates back to the Roman Empire. It was a tradition in Europe, known as Candelmas Day, an animal, the hedgehog, would cast a shadow, thus predicting six more weeks of bad weather, which they interpolated as the length of the "Second Winter." .
Pennsylvania's earliest settlers were Germans and they found groundhogs in many parts of the state. They determined that the groundhog, resembling the European hedgehog, was a most intelligent and sensible animal and therefore decided that if the sun did appear on February 2nd, so wise an animal as the groundhog would see its shadow and hurry back into its underground home for another six weeks of winter.
It was started in the US in Punxsutawney, PA in 1836.
So let's ask Punxsutawney Phil:
Phil your the most Photographed Pennsylvanian, Prognosticator of Prognosticators, Weather Predictor Extraordinaire, a National Treasure, the most cared for Ground Hog in the World, getting food and water and that special the elixir of life, which gets you 7 more years of life. Forget what it tastes like, the end result is pretty amazing. Would you want to end this tradition and be replaced by a robot?
Are you kidding me? The food, the attention, the people, the "elixir of life?"
Let me find out who is trying to destroy my life, my livelihood, my paradise: I will gnaw off both legs, both arms, and throw the carcass to my cousin the wolves!
Leave me alone! Get a Life!
After all meteorologists are correct about 70% of the time. Phil is always right. To quote George Michael: You gotta have faith. Groundhog Day is growing every year because it has heart and soul. Come, meet strangers, sing, shiver and drink caffeine, a beer or two.
Don't forget to taste that special the elixir of life. It gets you 7 years of life. Forget what it tastes like, the end result is pretty amazing. . .
It's the best all night party in Pennsylvania.
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